Cellular telephones having removable data cards, including Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards, are known generally. Wildseed Ltd, Kirkland, Wash. recently introduced cellular telephones having user-interchangeable software-enable covers, known commercially as SMART-SKINS, removably fastened to the telephone body, which houses core telephony functionality. The software-enable covers or skins include encrypted smart cards that change the look and feel of the user interface, for example, by providing customized ring tones, pre-configured wireless web book marks, and subscription content associated with a cover sponsor, like a popular musical ensemble.
WO 02/23868 entitled “Double-Acting Telecommunication Apparatus For Mobile Telephony” discloses a mobile telephony apparatus comprising multiple SIM data cards associated with corresponding transceivers, which are enabled to operate simultaneously but independently of one another, for example, for enabling the user to simultaneously conduct different telephone conversations on different telephone connections. In WO 02/23868, the data cards may be associated with different communications service accounts provided by the same or different service providers.
The various aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon careful consideration of the following Detailed Description of the Invention with the accompanying drawings described below.